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samedi 8 octobre 2016

Bloomberg: AT&T considering dropping the Galaxy Note 7 completely

samsung galaxy note 7 review aa (6 of 20)

Samsung's Note 7 headache could get a lot stronger.

Bloomberg reports that AT&T is considering stopping sales of the Note 7 entirely. The report, which quotes a person familiar with the situation, was published on Friday evening. AT&T may have already taken the decision, according to Bloomberg, which estimates that the carrier is Samsung's third largest client.

The report comes after all major US carriers started allowing customers to return their Note 7's and get different phones, even if the returned Note 7 is from a supposedly safe batch. The move is a response to an incident from earlier this week where a "safe" Galaxy Note 7 allegedly caught fire aboard a plane, prompting the cancellation of the flight. Samsung said it's still looking into the incident.

Carriers insisted that there's no indication that the replacement Note 7 units present any safety risk and said they only allowed the replacements for their customers' peace of mind.

If AT&T decides to stop selling the Note 7 completely, Samsung faces a real risk of contagion, as other carriers could decide to follow AT&T's lead. Operators may not want to associate their image with a device that competitors denounced as unsafe.

Interestingly, this week's setbacks have not spooked investors too much. Samsung's stock is at an all-time high, buoyed by the strong earnings estimates that the company posted for the quarter ending on September 30.



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vendredi 7 octobre 2016

Facebook Events lets you discover and organize all your social events

Screen Shot 2016-10-07 at 23.28.38

I love using Facebook's events feature – it helps me see who's doing what, and it's also a great way to find cool events near you. But the way Facebook does it is a bit too messy for my liking. There isn't a centralized system that lets you see which events are coming up and when. Well, that's about to change with Facebook's Events app, which is available for iOS and is coming soon to Android users.

You can do several things with Facebook's new app: you can catch up on new events that your friends are interested in, recently-announced events by the Pages you like, and updates from events you've already expressed your interest in. If you want to explore more, the app even gives you event recommendations based on your preferred time, location, and interests. As you see from the video, it's an interactive map that shows you where the events are and what kinds of events they are.

If you want to explore more, the app even gives you event recommendations based on your preferred time, location, and interests.

Facebook Events takes all of that into a calendar and makes it super easy to see with one glance which days are booked and which days are free. Your schedule can then be shared with other friends even if they don't have the app, so really, now there's no excuse for fomo.

Essentially, Facebook Events is an app that takes everything event-related from Facebook and aggregates it into one streamlined system. It may not be revolutionary, but it certainly is more convenient than clicking individual Pages to look for upcoming events or going into your profile to check your event schedule.

Google Now best alarm clock apps for androidSee also: 10 best calendar apps for Android57

Although currently, Facebook Events is only available for iOS, it is said to be coming soon to Android. Though we don't know the exact date, we will be sure to keep you updated! Would you be interested in using Facebook Events? Let us know by leaving a comment below!



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HTC’s revenue for September shows growth for the first time this year

HTC-logo-aa-1

The Taiwanese company has been struggling to keep up with its competition for quite some time now. Although it creates beautifully-crafted phones, they are not advertised well and are often just too expensive, especially with companies like OnePlus and LeEco offering flagship devices for around $300 or $400.

Well, HTC has published its earnings for the month of September, and for the first time this year, HTC has reported year-to-year growth. According to HTC's official press release, the company saw a 31.3% year-to-year increase in revenue and a 42% increase from last month.

Although the press release does not mention Google's newly-launched Pixel phones, it would be naïve to think that the Pixel duo had nothing to do with the sudden change of fate for HTC. As rumors suggested, the Pixel and Pixel XL are indeed manufactured by HTC although they may be designed, advertised, and distributed by Google.

Google unveiled the Pixel phones on Tuesday, and it's way too early to tell whether the duo will be successful. But if Google employs its advertising expertise and just the sheer amount of resources the company has to selling the Pixel phones – which I'm sure it will – HTC will also benefit from it. In other words, Google Pixel's success could be a saving grace for the struggling Taiwanese tech company.

Personally, I'm hoping HTC will recover with the help of the Pixel phones and make a comeback with some innovative devices like the rumored HTC Ocean.

htc-one-m8-launch-aa-8-of-27See also: Ocean Master, Ocean Note, and Ocean Smart could be HTC's next phones20

Do you think Google's new smartphones will do well? Could the Pixel brand be the help HTC's needed for a long time? Let us know by commenting below!

Show Press Release

HTC RELEASES UNAUDITED REVENUE FOR SEPTEMBER 2016

Taipei, Taiwan – October 6, 2016 – HTC Corporation (TWSE: 2498), a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced unaudited consolidated revenue for September 2016 of NT$9.33 bn, and total unaudited consolidated revenue from January to September 2016 of NT$55.91 bn.

About HTC 

HTC Corporation aims to bring brilliance to life. As a global innovator in smart mobile devices and technology, HTC has produced award-winning products and industry firsts since its inception in 1997, including the critically acclaimed HTC One and Desire lines of smartphones. The pursuit of brilliance is at the heart of everything we do, inspiring best-in-class design and game-changing mobile and virtual reality experiences for consumers around the world. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). http://www.htc.com/



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Google hardware is opening up shop in NYC

google pop up store new york

Curiouser and curiouser. As many have previously observed (including myself), Google's major foray into the hardware business could be a big game changer for the mobile market at large. It's clear that Google wants to maintain the control they have over the all-powerful search bar, but with that digital rectangle slowly transitioning to the physical rectangles we all carry around in our pockets, Google is keen to ensure that they're staying at the knife's edge.

Apple and Microsoft, who are Google's new competitors in this hardware realm, already have permanent residence in New York City. Now Google has revealed on their "Made by Google" website that they're setting up shop in the Big Apple as well. However, it doesn't seem to be quite as strong of a foothold as the previously mentioned companies.

google pixel and pixel xl first look hands on aa-7See also: Made by Google: How will Google taking on the iPhone change the Android ecosystem?121

The terse announcement page doesn't give us a whole lot of information. All we know is that the division will be located at 96 Spring St New York, NY 10012, and that it should be arriving on October 20. Google is calling it a "pop-up" store, which seems to indicate that it's going to be a temporary setup, likely existing to promote Google's new Pixel devices and Google Home.

If Google really is going to be positioning themselves to take on the iPhone, then it will be essential that they establish brick-and-mortar locations to go toe-to-toe with Apple Stores. This might be the embryo of a much larger plan on the part of the search giant, but we're just going to have to wait and see.

google pixel and pixel xl first look hands on aa-33Recently: Verizon: Google Pixel will come with no bloatware. Okay, maybe just a little…49


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LeEco accidentally jumped the gun on their own product announcement

le eco le max2

Oops. We weren't supposed to be hearing about these devices from LeEco until their planned announcement on October 19th, but somehow the company ended up accidentally posting most of their upcoming products on their online store.

So what can we expect to see from LeEco on the 19th? At the time of writing, the listings are still up, so we'll provide links so you can check them out for yourself.

First off is the Le Max2 smartphone, which appears to be going for $349. However, if you order the device before the end of the year, they knock $60 off of it. Now, considering this smartphone rocks a Snapdragon 820 powered by 6GB of RAM and a 5.7-inch QHD display, that is an incredible deal.

LeEco TitleSee also: Coming to America: LeEco to formally launch US presence in October22

Before you get too excited, however, the LeEco Super4 X43 Pro TV and the LeEco Super4 X65 TV are currently both listed at $14.99. These are obviously just placeholder figures, unless LeEco is making their televisions using fairy magic. Because of this, it's probably a good idea to reign in our excitement over the Le Max2's alleged price tag. Still, it looks promising.

Additionally, LeEco also lists the LeEco Super4 X55 TV and the LeEco uMax85 TV, both with a $799 price tag. It's unclear whether these are placeholders as well, but we assume at least one of them is.

Also revealed is the Le S3 smartphone, which rocks a starting price of $299. The current copy is a little confusing, because the company appears to be saying that if you snatch the device before the end of December, you'll get a $60 discount. However, the new price that they're showing after applying the discount is $169, which is quite a bit more than a $60 discount. It's not clear which figure is accurate, if either.

it's probably a good idea to reign in our excitement over the Le Max2's alleged price tag.

It's worth noting that neither the Le S3 nor the Le Max2 will have headphone jacks. Because of the confusing nature of the price listings and the obvious unintended nature of these posts, we'll have to wait for October 19th to roll around before we can get some more solid answers.

LeEco seems keen to establish themselves as a formidable entity in the US market. Although this fumble is amusing, it's far from disastrous, and it's giving us a sneak peek into what plans the company has for the market. Definitely worth snooping around a bit before the company realizes their mistake and takes down the content!

leeco LeSEE2See also: Not just smartphones: LeEco plans $1.8 billion self-driving car factory2


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Runtastic and Google Play Music have teamed up to keep you active

Runtastic Logo

Runtastic is one of the most popular fitness tracking tools out there, but for a long time the app has sadly lacked native integration with Google's Play Music service. However, that all ends today, as Google has announced a partnership that unlocks an array of Play Music features to Runtastic users.

Top among these features is an assortment of playlists that are orchestrated to fit practically any mood or activity. You can match your workout routine to virtually any style of music, keeping you active and in the groove.

One of the playlists is "Today's Running Hits," which is sure to keep your pace up since all of the songs are over 130 beats per minute. There are hard hitting rock options for pumping iron and EDM tunes for rave-tastic cardio. Whatever your preference, you're sure to find something to keep you motivated.

Apple Music vs Spotify vs Google Play MusicSee also: Apple Music vs Spotify vs Google Play Music94

Default radio streaming will be available for those who aren't subscribed to Google Play Music All Access, but to promote these new features, Runtastic is giving all of its users a free Music trial. With this, you'll be able to create your own playlists, instantly stream any of Google Play's 40 million tracks, and even upload your own songs for cloud-based listening. All delightfully ad-free.

If you want to give Runtastic's new Google Play Music integration a spin, click the button below to download the latest version from the Google Play Store. These features aren't available everywhere, but since it's been rolled out to more than 60 countries, there's a good chance your region is supported. Give it a whirl, then let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Get it in the Play Store
Best Android Fitness apps and workout appsNext: Best Android fitness apps and workout apps40


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Sprint V20 will launch October 28, pre-orders start October 21

v20-display-thumb

Are you on Sprint and eagerly waiting for LG's latest phablet, V20? Well, we bring you good news: according to the American carrier, the LG V20 will be available on October 28th, and pre-orders will start a week before, on October 21st. Unfortunately, we don't know much about the pricing as of now.

We've seen US carriers announcing one by one when the highly-anticipated V20 would be available. T-Mobile first announced that the phone would be available on October 28th, followed by America's second largest carrier, AT&T, announcing that the V20 will start shipping as early as October 24th. In fact, AT&T's pre-orders have already begun.

Now Sprint has released some details on when the carrier will start selling the V20. Pre-orders will start on October 21st through Sprint's website, and the phone will be officially available a week after. We don't know about the pricing, and because Sprint did not carry the LG V10 last year, we don't have much to base our prediction on. However, Sprint does state that when you trade in an eligible phone, you will get a $200 trade-in credit as well as free Bang & Olufsen H3 earphones, which would normally set you back $149.

Just to recap, the LG V20 is a perfect device if you are multimedia-centered. It boasts a 5.7-inch QHD display accompanied by a secondary ticker panel, a fingerprint scanner on the back, and the good ole 3.5mm audio jack. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB RAM, a dual 16/8MP rear camera combo, a 32-bit DAC, and an aluminum body, which, by the way, will let you access the battery.

lg-v20-vs-v10-thumbSee also: LG V20 vs LG V10 comparison: evolving the beast68

If you are interested, click the button below to pre-order your V20!

Pre-order V20 from Sprint

What's your favorite feature on the V20? Let us know by commenting below!



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